The handguns are always the stars at any big show, even though some serious rifles and shotguns staked their own claim at SHOT Show 2018.
There wasn’t much real news, we know about the big, ummm, guns, long before the show.
But here are the best new handguns for 2018 that made their debut at the SHOT show.
1. Sig P365 Nitron
- Price: $499.99
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
We’re betting big on this tiny little 9mm CCW. We think it’s going to be a real thorn in the side of the M&P Shield and our own favorite EDC: the Springfield Armory XDMOD2.
It’s a polymer gun with a double-stack magazine that gives you 10+1 rounds to subdue any threat. It’s visibly smaller than even the most compact CCWs on the market and we think it might be the perfect combination of capacity and comfort.
It’s 5.8 inches long, just over 17oz and it really is the definition of a pocket rocket. Truthfully, it could be the gun of the year.
2. Daniel Defense DDM4V7P
- Price: $1,559
- Caliber: 300BLK
This is an evolution of Daniel Defense’s AR-15 pistol. Which is a handgun, as we all know…
Daniel Defense have built a solid reputation with guns that are worth more than the sum of their parts. This looks like another solid effort, a compact and tidy pistol that is remarkably reliable, too.
The Daniel Defense DDM4VP is one of the best AR-15 rifles for sale. The AR pistol is just as good.
3. Taurus 692 Multi Caliber Handgun
- Price: $499.99
This is a clever idea that lets you swap out the cylinder to access three different calibers with one gun.
The only problem is you’ll find the one caliber that seems to suit the gun and then probably leave the rest. But that’s your choice. The simple fact is that you can use .357 Magnum or .38 Special in one cylinder, or switch it out for a 9mm.
You use a clip to keep the rimless 9mm in place and you’re good to go.
You get a 6-inch barrel of you opt for the 45oz gun, or you can take the smaller 3.1-inch barrel version for concealed carry.
It’s a novelty, if we’re honest, but we like the thought process.
4. Dan Brown ZEV 1911
- Price: $4,995
Now this is interesting. It’s a combination of one of the greatest 1911 builders on the planet and a young upstart that made their name with Glock mods.
It’s a Government frame and Commander-length slide. ZEV has been turned it into the closest approximation it can of a ‘Dragonfly’ Glock.
The end result is a 40oz 9mm, despite ZEV’s machining and additional ports for cooling. It gets a Trijicon RMR and the usual Dan Brown touches, together with an eye-watering price tag of $4,995.
4. Sig Sauer MCX Rattler
- Price: $2,299.99
- Caliber: 300BLK
The Sig Sauer MCX Rattler is about as compact as submachine guns get. In fact, we think you could just about tame it one-handed.Oh and it’s chambered in 300 Blackout.
That’s an almighty punch for such a small weapon. We expect it to be a star with Law Enforcement and special forces around the world.
You get a shorter upper with this MCX platform, so it does remove some of the modularity that the Sig is famous for. You can swap it to a 5.56 NATO round, but you do lose the mix and match element of the MCX that people did love.
It has a folding stock, a 5.5inch barrel and an overall length just over 19 inches. It’s a $2,719 gun, but then you knew it wasn’t going to be cheap.
5. Glock G19X
- Price: $619.99
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
Basically this is halfway between a Glock 17 and a 19,. So in some ways it’s pretty much the least exciting launch at SHOT Show, but in terms of the actual sales it could generate then this could be one of the most important guns on show.
Major Improvements For Glock 19x Gen 5
It answers the main issues that customers complained about. It has a full-length G17 grip, with the shorter G19 slide that makes it easier to conceal.
It makes the Glock a simpler decision when it comes to EDC and that could be worth a fortune to Glock in the long run.
It isn’t the most interesting weapon to write about, though, I will say…
Glock also bought the 5th Gen G26. It looks a lot like the fourth gen and we think both the Springfiel Armory and the Sig P365 comfortably have its measure.
6. Hudson H9A
If you think the Sig P365 is a compact, high-capacity weapon, then you haven’t seen anything yet.
The Hudson H9A is a top of the line compact, with 15 rounds squeezed into its diminutive frame. This in a gun that measures just 5.25 inches tall and weighs just 26oz.
You get an aluminium frame, there is a rail for attachments and the whole thing weighs in at 26oz. It also costs $949, which is the only real obstacle to us getting one right now.
7.Walther Arms PPQ Subcompact
This is basically a PPQ with a shorter slide and grip. So, yes, it is tiny.
It is a great pocket or purse gun, like a Derringer with 10 bullets. But it’s 6.6 inches long in total and you have to wonder how it’s really going to stack up against other weapons in the real world.
The grip looks too short, although you can fit standard Walther mags and an extension then that defeats the object of the gun. It’s a nice thing, but we figure the double-stack PPQ is good enough. If you have one, you don’t need the subcompact.
For the best rifles at SHOT Show, check here.
